Western United Resource Development, Inc. (WURD) was selected in March 2007 to receive a $400,000 grant from US-EPA Region 10 for an innovative project that will convert biogas into vehicle fuel. WURD will collaborate with Western United Dairymen, Sustainable Conservation, UC Davis, CalStart, Hilarides Dairy, Hilmar Cheese Company, California Department of Food and Agriculture, and SWENTEC to convert four heavy-duty diesel powered milk trucks to run on methane. Project partners will also develop engineering design plans and conduct financial analysis of biomethane upgrading plants in expectation of constructing a biomethane upgrading plant and refueling station at a later date.

The ultimate goal of the five-phase project is to develop a new model for reducing diesel emissions by substituting renewable biomethane for diesel fuel, with biomethane generated from agricultural sources such as food processing and dairy waste. It is anticipated that a new renewable vehicle fuel paradigm will be demonstrated for the food and agriculture industries that can reduce the present dependency on fossil fuels.

• Project Fact Sheet (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

• Biomethane Source Book (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)